Smile for Real
by Regaime Seishi
Summary: In the POV of Fai cuz I thought it'd be different.The Tsubasa group arrives at the city of water, Aquroya, in the country of Amestris.Fai meets an alchemist who's able to see behind his smile. it might get darker but no worries. Ed & Al debut soon as well
1. Aquroya, the City of Water

Smile for Real

A Crossover Between Tsubasa and FMA

By Regaime Seishi

In the POV of Fai-chan

Chapter 1- Aquroya, the City of Water

Once more the four of us, five if you include Makona, were sucked up into the little white creature's mouth without any idea where we'd end up next. I got the feeling of flying again as we flitted through the dimensions, the wind of time and space billowing pleasantly through my blond hair. It reminded me of the Kudan that came to me in my sleep and granted me its power. That was a lucky experience; probably the last time I'd be able to perform something close to magic ever again. It's not that I regret giving up my markings, but to say I didn't miss them would be a lie.

We touched down in the middle of a busy street that was paved with bricks and Makona immediately clung to Kurogane to keep from falling to the ground.

"Get off me you damn rabbit!" the disgruntled ninja exploded, struggling to throw him off.

"Makona isn't a rabbit, Makona is Makona!" the creature reminded him again, jumping up and down on Kurogane's head to try and prove his point, while the ninja grumbled something not so nice under his breath.

"Kuro-Nyon, how're you _ever_ going to get popular with the ladies with language like _that_?" I teased, ducking as he swiped at my head. I laughed and ran behind Sakura-Chan, who had been watching Syaoran-Kun as of recently.

"So where do you think we are?" she asked quietly, surveying her surroundings.

"I don't know…" I replied, looking around as well, my eyes falling on the foreign land around us. It looked as if we were on an island, for there was water beyond the city in every way we could see. The city itself looked grand, with tall brick buildings and jovial signs posted everywhere. The townspeople themselves looked thrilled, as if today was a holiday. I caught phrases such as, "Do you think she'll pull it off again" and "of course, she always does" floating in between conversations; I could only guess who _she_ was.

"Well, we won't find her highness's feather standing here," Syaoran-Kun stated, walking away. Naturally, the rest of us followed.

a/n- hope you Tsubasa/Fai-San fans out there enjoyed it. review if you did, cuz an author needs feedback in order to improve. i'll take flames too, as long as you have a good reason, and if you don't, expect to get flames back. Ja ne! i'll be good and do the disclaimer now.

Disclaimer- i don't own Tsubasa Chronicle becuase i'm not a genius like CLAMP or FMA cuz i'm not a genius like Arakawa. nor do i own Fai-Chan. i only own the plot and Regaime>>she's mine take a hint.


	2. The Dewdrop Cafe

Chapter 2- The Dew Drop Café

Chapter 2- The Dew Drop Café

We wondered the city streets for a while before stopping at a small café. From what Syaoran-Kun could decipher, we were in the city of water, Aquroya, and the café's name was Dewdrop.

"Hello and welcome to the Dewdrop café!" a young woman greeted us with a warm smile that instantly reminded me of Chi, rekindling a deep longing in my heart. However much it pained me to think of Chi, it was hard to ignore the woman's beauty. She wore an elegant black waitress's uniform that made her look intelligent, not cute like waitresses usually did. Her eyes were maroon and her black hair had highlights that matched the color, hanging well past her waist.

"Nice to be here," I greeted back, burying my thoughts like I always did to escape them and waving to her. "It sure smells good."

"Thanks," the girl replied, "Is there anything I can get you?"

Makona twitched slightly from his position on Sakura-Chan's shoulder at the thought of food. The princess stood behind Syaoran-Kun a bit so the white creature could request something without being seen and then relayed the order.

"Tea and lemon cake please; two orders."

"Same for me as well," Syaoran-Kun added.

"Sure, anything else?" she asked.

"Jasmine tea if you have it please," I said, "Although I'm afraid we have no ways of paying you as of yet."

"Oh, you're tourists then?" our hostess asked as if she could already tell.

"We're traveling from country to country looking for something," Syaoran-Kun replied in his usual serious tone, "Do you know of anyplace where we can stay or find work?"

"You can work here if you like, given you can cook or serve. This café used to be my parents' until they passed away a few years ago and I inherited it. There's an extra room upstairs where I live as well if you want to stay," she informed us.

"That should do nicely, won't it?" I replied, receiving affirmative nods from Syaoran-Kun and Sakura-Chan. Kurogane just mumbled something as usual and ignored us so I turned to the café owner again. "You see, we ran a café at one time that got to be pretty popular."

"Really? Well then, congrats on being hired. My name is Rumiko, and you are…?" she looked at us expectantly so I spoke up.

"Fai D. Flowright at your service, and that depressing guy over there is Kuro-Nyan!"

"It's Kurogane!!" he exploded in rage, sending me such a look of hatred I had to laugh.

"I'm Sakura," the princess introduced herself with a typical warm smile.

"And I'm Syaoran," the boy finished, "Thank you for hiring us."

"No problem. It's almost always busy here so I've been in dire need of extra help. You're the ones doing the favor, really," she laughed, "Take a seat and I'll be right back with your order."

It didn't take long and soon there was tea and cakes set out on the table we had gathered around, including a few on-the-house muffins. Makona hastened to get to the food with little regard to Rumiko who, after bowing and turning to go back to the counter, stared in shock at the little white character.

"Is that a chimera!?" she asked in horror, her brow furrowed.

"Makona is Makona!!" he answered, going back to eating.

"What is a chimera?" Syaoran-Kun asked.

"If you don't know then you must be from far away," Rumiko stated, continuing when Syaoran-Kun nodded, "Chimeras are animals that have been transmuted together to create creatures. It's the second of the three taboos of alchemy."

"Is this alchemy like magic?" I asked in deep interest, the hope to get the original form of my own magic back returning.

"Not at all, it's science!" she answered looking offended at the word 'magic', then explaining herself, "There's no such thing as _magic_!"

"Pardon me, where I come from magic exists," I explained with a smile, noticing the skeptical look on her face.


	3. Psiren

Chapter 3- Psiren

Chapter 3- Psiren

The meal finished in silence and Rumiko cleared the table, showing us the way to the extra room so she could tend to the few customers that had just walked in. She gave Sakura-Chan and I uniforms for the café, since Syaoran-Kun had already explained he wouldn't be working and Kurogane had refused altogether. The two of them left to scour the city for Sakura-Chan's feather with Makona, who had admitted feeling a feather's waves within the city's vicinity.

This left Sakura-Chan and I to serve, as the food for the day had already been prepared and the café would be closing in less than an hour. As I was serving a young couple, I heard the mysterious _her_ I had been hearing about mentioned so I listened in.

"So, do you think Psiren will successfully steal it? The new exhibit at the museum again?"

"I already bet on it if that's what you mean."

"But the security is going to be really tight tonight. The museum _really_ doesn't want to loose this display."

"It doesn't matter. Psiren uses alchemy. She'll _definitely _steal it."

"I wonder what's so great about this _Legendary Feather_ anyway. It doesn't look that special, just like a regular feather to me. You know, one that you could buy at the store."

"All the experts say it's genuine. Besides, Psiren is going after it so it's _got _to be real."

My eyes were lit as I walked away with the couple's dirty dishes. Sakura-Chan was looking at me with the same look, so I guessed that she heard the conversation as well. We met up in the back kitchen a few minutes later when she was bringing in some dirty dishes and were able to discuss what had just happened.

"Do you think it's really my feather?" she wondered aloud as she washed the dishes. I smiled down at her as I dried the plate she passed me.

"I think it's too good of a lead to pass up the chance."

"I hope Syaoran-Kun will come back soon. He'd want to know." She grew quiet and concentrated on the dishes, but I could see she was trying not to cry. Nowadays it seemed whenever the subject of Syaoran-Kun came up she would get like this. It wasn't that she was sad, only confused as to why he would risk his life for her saying he was without any reason to do so and then turn around and be so kind to her. Syaoran-Kun hadn't noticed how much this was troubling her, but perhaps it was because he was too wrapped up in his own despair over the matter. Thankfully the awkward silence was interrupted by a call from Rumiko.

"Hey you two, I need someone to clear off table 5!"

"Coming!" Sakura-Chan volunteered, rushing off through the kitchen doors. I smiled sadly at the spot, wishing for a happy ending to our adventures, despite the arrangements, as I did nearly twice a day.

Kurogane and Syaoran-Kun returned shortly after the café closed, the latter babbling excitedly about the news he'd heard around the city concerning this Psiren person and the possibility of Sakura-Chan's feather. As Sakura-Chan and I relayed the information we had heard as well, Syaoran-Kun's smile widened.

"Then it's settled," he said, "Tonight we're going to steal that feather before Psiren."

"But wouldn't it be easier to steal it from Psiren after she's gotten through all the security?" I pointed out.

"It would," Syaoran-Kun replied, "However it'd be chancy. We know Psiren uses alchemy, but we don't know anything about it ourselves. That alone could cause us to loose Sakura's feather."

"Which is why I wouldn't want to slow you down," I answered back, smiling, "Why don't we stay here Sakura-Chan?" I asked the princess.

"Yeah, okay…" she replied somewhat downcast. Kurogane eyed me suspiciously.

"You wouldn't be trying to save your own skin, would you?" he suggested.

"Now Kuro-Pipi! You know I'm useless without my magic!!" I whined, faking a pout. He grumbled at the name I called him and turned away again.

"Makona will come! Makona can help!!" The creature grinned as I patted it on the head and smiled.

"Of course you can! Do your best Makona," I encouraged.

"Makona will!!"

"We'd better be off then," Syaoran-Kun said, moving towards the door, "Have a good night your highness."

"I will, good luck," Sakura-Chan replied.


	4. Behind the Mask

Chapter 4- Behind the Mask

Chapter 4- Behind the Mask

Nodding, the boy left with Kurogane and Makona on the ninja's shoulder, jumping up and down with joy. I turned with a slight smile on my face to Sakura-Chan, noticing the crestfallen look in her eyes; I couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

"Give it time, Sakura-Chan," I suggested, placing a hand on her shoulder for courage, "Right now, why don't you get some sleep? You'll feel better afterwards."

"Yes, alright," she agreed, trudging up the stairs to the guest room we were occupying.

I heard movement on my right and turned to see Rumiko, a questioning look set on her face.

"What's up with those two: Syaoran and Sakura?" she asked.

"Sakura-Chan has lost most of her memories. Syaoran-Kun is traveling to get them all back and Kurogane and I are tagging along." I explained with solemn eyes and a soft smile.

"And he's in love with her," Rumiko concluded, nodding, "only _she_ doesn't remember it."

"She never will either," I finished, "It is indeed a sad story."

"How come she'll never remember?" Rumiko asked confused, "How do Syaoran and you know for sure?"

"Because the most precious thing in the world to Syaoran-Kun was his relationship with Sakura-Chan, and that was the price he had to pay in order to save her life. Sakura-Chan thinks it's hard to cope with not knowing her past, but that boy is in much more pain; he just won't let it show in front of her."

"It _is_ sad," Rumiko agreed, "Although I don't quite understand everything. I'm sure there's a lot more to it than what you can tell me." I nodded to affirm this.

"It's very complicated," I added.

"So why are Kurogane and you helping them? The way I see it, there's no connection between you. What's your _purpose_?" she questioned.

"Kurogane is trying to get to his home, and I…I am running away from mine." I smiled slightly, "There is someone who, when he awakens, will most likely come to kill me," I continued, "Though I'm not sure why I'm telling you this."

"Perhaps you needed a release," she offered, "No one, no matter how strong, can keep their pain locked away forever. It'd only destroy you."

"You're completely right," I agreed as my smile broadened, "And I am not a strong person, not when I am running away from my fears like a coward."

She looked at me with pity and perplexity, her brow furrowed and her head tilted slightly to the side.

"For someone with such a dark existence you act so happy. Why do you smile when you seem so sad?" she asked.

Somewhat taken aback by her wisdom, I searched her eyes for an explanation to how she saw past my façade. What I found were orbs lit with intelligence. I looked away into thin air and then replied softly.

"I don't want to worry the people I'm around. Syaoran-Kun, Sakura-Chan, and Kurogane have their own problems; they don't need to be mixed up in mine."

"That's a lot to carry on your shoulders," Rumiko stated.

I looked away again and hesitated on my response, my mind swirling with all the things I could say. Everyone I've ever known would probably describe me as a carefree person; someone genuinely happy with the world. No one should think differently about the way I act because it's a simple solution to a simple question. However, the real reason is much more complicated. I bury my feelings with false happiness because I don't know how to deal with them and it's the only thing I can think to do. I believed that if I brooded over my fears it'd just slowly eat me away, but now I was starting to realize what I have been doing isn't much better. Still, if I couldn't figure that out, how was it that she _could_? How did she _know_?

"How could you tell?" I asked at last, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Your smile isn't genuine," she replied with the same wisdom, "Anyone could see that; all they'd have to do was look in your eyes and notice the sadness in them. From there it's easy to recognize. Your smile doesn't shine like Sakura's does, but sucks up the happiness in the place it inhabits. It's quite painful to watch, actually."

"Saying it like that makes me seem like a depressing person," I admitted, subconsciously putting on another smile.

"See, there you go again," Rumiko pointed out, suddenly brightening as if an idea came to her. "Someday, I promise you, I'll make you smile for real."


	5. Equivalent Exchange

Chapter 5- Equivalent Exchange

Before I could ask her exactly what she meant by this she had turned away, motioning for me to follow. I did so hoping to clarify her comment, only she had changed the subject.

"You seemed interested in alchemy, so I'll show you some if you like." She smiled mischievously, continuing, "Just so I can prove it's _nothing_ like magic."

I chuckled softly at this comment and felt it was up to me to prove her wrong. We made our way up the stairs and past the room Sakura-Chan slept in. At the far end of the hall was a closed door, behind which I'd never seen since it was constantly closed and prying is not my way.

When Rumiko strode up to this door withdrawing a simple piece of chalk in place of a key, I cocked my head in confusion. I then noticed there was no lock, latch, or knob on the door. She drew a complicated looking drawing on the door, then pressing her hands to it. There was a flash of blue light and then the door swung inwards on its hinges, the chalk circle gone.

Rumiko looked back at me smugly, most likely expecting me to be surprised. I think, perhaps, I disappointed her.

"So that's alchemy," I declared with a teasing grin.

Her smug look dropped to one that faked offense at my comment, and she hastened into the room behind the door. I followed with my attention on the room surrounding us.

It was bordered with shelves beset with thick books, some hard covered and some bound by leather, looking as if only faith kept their pages together. A table was set up in the middle of the room, also piled with books as well as papers and writing utensils. A few chairs surrounded the setup, however all were covered in books except the one pulled up to the table.

"Er, sorry it's so messy." Rumiko immediately went into a cleaning mode and began arranging the room to make it more presentable. She got as far as clearing off a chair before I halted her.

"I don't mind at all," I said with a raised hand and another carefree smile, "I've heard untidiness is a trait found among geniuses."

"You flatter me; I'm really not that smart," the woman gushed in a drawn out breath. She pulled the chair she cleared toward the table and moved a few books so there was a spot to utilize. "Please, sit down," she bade.

"As you wish," I replied. Rumiko sat to my right and reached for a book in front of her. When she leaned across me her shirt parted from her slightly and I caught a glimpse of the outline of her rapidly exposing chest by sheer accident. I shifted my eyes away on reflect and scorned myself for even _noticing_ such a thing. Constantly being a gentleman, I'd never even _dreamed_ of such a naughty act, but then again, I'd never been thrown into a predicament akin to this one.

She sat back with the book, Introduction to Alchemy, in her hands, totally ignorant to the fact she'd made me uncomfortable. She merely smiled, opened the album, and began reading chapter one of "Understanding the Science of Alchemy". I returned the smile but only half listened, meaning I still soaked up the information but my mind was rotating on other thoughts.

I couldn't understand it, yet it was in plain sight. When had I first been attracted to her? Was it the first we'd met when she reminded me of Chi? Was I attracted to her merely because of this reminder? 'No,' I told myself; she was nothing like my love back home, the one I would forever regret leaving because of that love, but one I could never call home again. Was it her beauty and intelligence then? Was it because she saw behind the mask I constantly held to my face to hide my thoughts and feelings? Or was it the sincerity in her voice, which promised to make me smile?

I didn't understand it at the present, and as I mused further, I wondered if I ever would. One thing was for certain though; I could not get attached. There was not enough time remaining before Syaoran-Kun would find Sakura-Chan's memory feather and Mokona would suck us up and spit us out into another foreign world. If I fell in love with this woman, I would only regret having to abandon her as I did Chi. This time, however, would be much more difficult for the fact I made Chi and thought of her as my little sister, not as a companion for life. Indeed, it would be folly to loose my heart to such a woman.

After deciding this I drifted back to what Rumiko was saying and concentrated primarily on what she had to teach me. If I was ever in mortal danger, skills of this nature would come in quite handy.

"…because it's the science of matter, alchemy must follow natural law. The first principle is that of equivalent exchange. It states, 'one cannot gain without giving; something must be sacrificed before something can be made and something cannot be created from nothing'. In other terms, it's basic physics. Alchemy must follow the law of conservation of matter. For example, if you write an equation it has to be balanced. If you start with 12 grams of carbon, you'd better end up with 12 grams of carbon. Another _very_ important law is that of the conservation of energy. If it takes, say, 20 joules of energy to fix a vase by gluing the pieces together, then it takes the same amount of energy to fix the same vase with alchemy. In actuality, alchemy is only a shortcut that saves time, understand?"

"Perfectly," I responded with a grin, "It is similar to magic, as much as you might protest. For a wizard, the energy it takes to do whatever it is we're doing with spells uses the same amount of what we call 'mana'. Let's just say mana is basically magical energy."

"Yes, but with _alchemy_ you can't create fantastical items out of thin air," Rumiko argued.

"Not thin air, Rumiko-San; something can only be created with magic if the individual has knowledge of its spell. If you wanted to look at it scientifically, I suppose you could say spells are merely balanced equations to create something. The idea goes well, considering I've used circular drawings in my practice before."

The woman beside me looked somewhat taken aback by my foregoing debate, and then she frowned and shook her head, seeming to talk for her benefit alone.

"It still doesn't follow equivalent exchange."

"I have a strong instinct telling me it does, perhaps in a different way," I insisted, "We both spoke of the conservation of energy and that it takes energy to do anything, whether alchemy or magic. My thought is that mass is made of energy, meaning if you broke down an element enough, you'd end up with pure energy. From what you've told me, alchemy breaks down matter with energy and then shapes it into something else with energy. On the other hand magic forms energy into mass, which is basically the opposite of your science. Perhaps magic is merely an advanced science, more so than alchemy in reality." I shrugged carelessly, "However I don't have any facts, only theories."

"It seems odd that you have so many ideas yet no proof," Rumiko commented, flipping through the book in her lap aimlessly, then looking up expectantly. I felt an obligation to explain.

"When A—" I stopped on impulse before saying _his_ name, then continued after faking a cough and putting another false smile on my face, "When my mentor taught me magic, he never bothered to explain its true nature."

"Yes, well, I think it's important to know the history behind what you're doing before you do it. Otherwise you may try something foolish." I nodded in agreement.

"As do I, however my mentor thought it was more necessary to learn." Otherwise, I thought, I wouldn't have made that horrifying mistake. I felt my throat swell for a moment before I swallowed the lump that had settled there and smiled to conceal my grief; I had not thought of that incident in a long while and I did _not _want to remember such a thing at the moment.

"No offense, but this mentor of yours sounds more like a fool." Rumiko frowned, seeming to be in deep thought over the subject.

"He probably _is _a fool," I supplied, "But then I guess that would make _me_ a fool as well."

"I don't think so," Rumiko disagreed, "You're…_different_ somehow." She shifted uncomfortably, then reopening the tomb in her lap. "Why don't we continue?" she offered.

For some reason her words brought comfort. I smiled but otherwise said nothing about them. Once again I was helplessly lost in my thoughts, walking along the winding paths of my memories.

I couldn't tell her about _him_, for the fact his name still stopped my heartbeat and ran the blood in my veins dry. My mind reeled with an unwanted memory, so I decided it was time to stop brooding and continue learning.

"That's about all I can teach you without a demonstration," Rumiko told me as she closed the book. I wondered what I'd missed, and immediately regretted not listening.

"You've already given me a demonstration," I reminded, referring to when she opened the door.

"Yes, however this time I'll explain it," she said.

I nodded and with the shadow of a grin on my face, waited for Rumiko to return from where she left to get an item for a demonstration. It took perhaps two minutes for her to come back with a teapot in her hands. She set it down on the table and took a piece of chalk from her pocket. I watched carefully as she drew a circle, different from the one she'd used before, and memorized its configuration. When she finished, she handed me the teapot and bid me to smash it within the confines of the circle.

"I won't get in trouble, will I?" I asked playfully, as I followed her instruction. She just laughed and explained what the circle was.

"This is called a transmutation circle. Alchemists cannot perform alchemy without a circle because the circle controls and shapes our knowledge. The circle's shape is strong—because there are no changes in direction and it goes around forever—that is why alchemists use it. The design within the circle represents an equation or process of three steps: knowing the composition of an object, breaking it down into a simpler form, and then using the substances in that form to create something else."

She paused to make sure I was following and then continued once I gave her a nod of understanding.

"This teapot is made of glass, some dye, and various other elements that aren't important at the moment because we're merely _fixing_ it and not transmuting it into something else. If you wanted to do so, you'd have to know its components. Here, watch."

She made sure all the pieces of the teapot were within the circle, then pressed her hands on its border and closed her eyes. A blue light, much like the ones that illuminated from my magic, rose from the circle and danced across Rumiko's face. It surrounded the broken pieces of glass and levitated them, bringing them together like a magnetic puzzle. When the light subsided, the teapot stood in the center of the circle looking completely unharmed.

"Hyuu…"I fake whistled, "That's quite amazing."

"This is nothing, really," Rumiko replied with a slight blush. She erased her circle and replied with a quick recovery. "Why don't you try it, as I'm sure you remember the circle."

She smirked mischievously and I returned it with one of my own. I took the chalk she handed me and drew the circle as if I'd been doing so my whole life. Though this wasn't true, it was similar to when I used circles in magic and so it was second nature to me. I broke the teapot again and swept the pieces into the circle, placing my hands on its edge and looking to Rumiko for assistance.

"To activate the circle, you must piece the glass together in your mind."

I nodded and proceeded to do so. As soon as I pictured the teapot in my mind, I felt my knowledge and energy flow from my fingers like magic. In fact, I believe it _was_ magic, or some form of the art. The shards in front of me were engulfed in blue light and pieced together much like when Rumiko had demonstrated. I began to panic when I realized I might not be able to stop the magic inside me, for I could feel it pushing to be released in full. The memory I had buried resurfaced and reminded me of what I'd done before. I was consumed by grief and could feel tears filling my eyes. I thought of Rumiko and how I didn't want a repeat of what had transpired; I didn't want her to get hurt.

I pushed back and felt the flow of energy ebb. The blue light faded off as this happened, leaving the teapot looking unharmed once more. I pulled my hands back from the circle and must have looked distressed as I stared at them because Rumiko tilted her head to look at my lowered face.

"Fai-San?" The way she said my name voiced its own question.

"I'm alright," I replied as I lifted my eyes from my hands, feeling the tears soak back into them, and smiled at her. She didn't seem convinced so I continued to explain what occurred, or at least, as much as I understood.

"When I activated the circle…" I hesitated, trying to place the right words, "I could feel the magic in me flowing into it. I was just surprised it didn't empty me dry. I don't have anything to control my magic since I gave up the marks that did so that I could travel with Syaoran-Kun and the others. I guess you could say I'm relieved, if nothing else."

A smile placed itself on my on my face easier this time, perhaps because I actually felt happy, or exhilarated in the least. Rumiko looked surprised for a moment, then her face softened.

"See," she said, "you _can_ smile."

My lips curved further upwards as I lifted the teapot in my hands and inspected it while pondering the outcome of events. I realized I might be able to defeat _him_ should the need ever arise, or at least defend the ones I cared about and myself, if I could master this art.

"Teach me everything you know," I bade awkwardly, then realizing I must have sounded demanding I added, "please."

She immediately dove into explaining the different meanings of each alchemic and geometric design used in transmutation circles. She also gave me a brief list of the feats an alchemist could perform. No more did I daydream; I submersed myself in her words and let the knowledge in.


	6. Failure

Chapter 6- Failure

Hours flew by at an exhilarating speed and soon the night was spent. I was snapped out of my studies when the first light shone in the sky and the canopy high above me was a grayish-blue.

Yawning, I stood and stretched my limbs, assessing what I knew. I had memorized perhaps fifteen circles including all the natural elements and geometric symbols for each. I could condense the moisture in the air if I needed it to rain, or control the oxygen to start a fire. I could reshape earth and turn water to ice. I could even make flowers bloom.

I smiled contently with what I'd accomplished and now turned my gaze to Rumiko. She had dozed off perhaps an hour before sunrise and was now embraced deeply into her dreams. Her black and maroon hair fell in her face so that it billowed out when she exhaled and bent in when she drew a breath. I knew I shouldn't be admiring her beauty, but I couldn't help it. She was captivating, and I was drawn into her trap far too easily.

Giving into some foolish desire, I bent down to sweep the hair from her face and tuck it gently behind an ear. She stirred in her slumber and I quickly withdrew, suddenly realizing the awkwardness that would arise should she awake. Saved from any future blunder by some invisible guardian, my attention was drawn away from Rumiko to the sound of the front door opening.

I ambled down the stairs, briefly checking on Sakura-Chan's still sleeping form, to meet two very disappointed thieves.

"We didn't get it so don't even ask," Kurogane spat as he removed his shoes and muttered something under his breath that I couldn't catch.

"I could already see that, Kuro-Gin, I was merely going to ask how come!"

"Psiren got the feather before us by sheer talent," Syaoran-Kun retold, "We were entering from the doors and she from the roof above the display. There was a flash of blue light and then all we could see was smoke. We didn't have to wait for it to clear to know we'd been bested." He hung his head.

"That flash was most definitely alchemy," I informed him, "There was nothing you could've done." Syaoran-Kun shook his head.

"We caught up to Psiren about a block from the museum. I begged her to give me the feather—I even told her it was Sakura-Hime's memory—but she wouldn't…" he stopped as if reliving the event and clenched his fists. "All she said was, 'There are a pair of lost souls who would pay me a great amount of money for this trinket, and I thought I'd give them a call.'"

"Hyuu, that sounds intriguing," I said, "So when are you going after her Kuro-Tyuu?"

"Shut up!!" he spat in frustration, chucking his shoe at me. I easily avoided it and laughed, an idea coming into my head.

I knelt down on the floor and withdrew a piece of chalk I'd concealed in my pocket. Rumiko had told me that since I was now an official alchemist, I should carry one around, and had given me a box as a sort of present. I quickly drew a transmutation circle in front of me and activated it, watching gleefully as the air above Kurogane's head grew saturated, then dropping about two gallons of freshly made rain water on his head.

He looked stunned for a moment, then lunged at me, giving chase as I ran away in hysterics and brandishing his sword in a very threatening manner. I stopped when I heard a groggy voice from the stairwell.

"What's going on?" Rumiko rubbed her reddened eyes to drive away the fatigue of the night and yawned in spite of her efforts, a frown quickly appearing as she noticed the water everywhere from when it'd dripped off Kurogane.

"Excuse the mess Rumiko-San, I was merely trying to wash away Kuro-nan's woes!"

Kurogane grumbled and Rumiko laughed. With an easily drawn circle, she replaced the water back into the air, but kept Kurogane wet to annoy the ninja.

"I thought the air seemed dry when I came downstairs," she chuckled, "Nice work."

I swept myself into a deep bow and smiled at her. "I learned from the best. Thanks for teaching me."

"Not a problem," she replied with her mischievous smile, "I'm just doing my civic duty when I turn mages to scientists."

"You're learning alchemy?" Syaoran-Kun asked.

"That's right," I replied, "Now I can protect myself when Kuro-Nya assaults me!!"

"Quit over exaggerating!!" Kurogane yelled, obviously disgusted by my antics.

I became serious and repeated the question I'd wondered about to Syaoran-Kun. "So, when are you going after Psiren again?"

"We can't do anything until she makes a move," Syaoran-Kun replied, "She had a mask on, and besides the fact she's a woman, we know nothing about her. Plus, she uses alchemy."

"Which you don't have time to learn," I perceived; Syaoran-Kun nodded.

"Kurogane and I will search for Psiren, maybe see if we can find her hideout, residence, or even an identity. If we find her—_when_ we find her, I'd like you to help with the apprehension."

"I'll do my best—anything for Sakura-Chan's memory," I replied. Syaoran-Kun nodded in determination and smiled.


	7. Two Lost Souls

a/n- FINALLY! Ed and Al!! :D

Chapter 7- Two Lost Souls

A week passed in which restlessness rose quickly. While Rumiko-San taught me any sort of alchemy she could think of that would help bring down Psiren, Syaoran-Kun and Kurogane searched the streets for any sign of her. Needless to say they both continued to kick up nothing more than dirt; Psiren hadn't made an appearance since she stole the feather. I could see that waiting for her to resurface was destroying Syaoran-Kun, knowing that with each passing moment his princess's memory could be getting farther away from his grasp.

My will was slipping away from me as well; with each day that passed I grew less and less detached with this world. Rumiko-San was becoming more than a teacher; she was becoming a good friend. Even that was a light way of saying it; once I'd made my decision to stay indifferent, I began to see the world from a higher perspective. Couples that walked into the shop hand-in-hand no longer simply made me smile, but now it awakened a longing, an envy to be like them and not have any regrets.

These were the feelings I hid beneath my smile these days, along with all the ones I had before. And I must say, it was getting awfully crowded.

The front door of the café opened and rang the bells attached to it, taking me out of my reverie. I hustled behind the counter where Rumiko-San waited to take the customers' order. I was surprised to see a pair so different from the usual customers I'd seen that I couldn't help but gape.

One was a boy looking around eleven with golden hair pulled back into a braid. His eyes were of the same hue and alert, telling me instantly a great knowledge was veiled by them. He wore a red coat with a cross symbol on the back, a black shirt underneath, and blank pants. The one next to him was even more different, for he wore a full suit of armor that could not be described in any way other than huge, except perhaps _gawky_.

The blond one, who was quite short as I noticed when he approached the counter, ordered tea and sat next to the armored one at a table for three, impatiently looking out the window. The armored one leaned in to the other and began talking eagerly. His voice was high and echoed throughout the steel he was in so I was able to hear him, however I was puzzled at how young he sounded.

"Brother, where do you think Claire is?" he asked, "She said she'd be hear on time…"

"Probably stealing something on the way," the blond one scoffed.

"Nii-San…" the armor chided. His older brother, as I now knew, shrugged indifferently.

"You know I don't like her, Al, especially her help. We're in enough trouble as it is; we don't need hers as well."

The blond one sighed impatiently and glanced out the window again with a frown. He then fidgeted with a silver pocket watch as if wanting to check the time, but didn't open it. Instead he slipped it back into place.

This conversation was definitely one of the more interesting ones I'd heard since my employment; most had been about Psiren and when she would make another appearance. Therefore, I took the cup of tea Sakura-Chan handed me from the back kitchen and quickly delivered it.

"Anything else?" I asked cheerfully, making sure to keep my smile the same way.

"No," the blond replied.

I asked the armored brother next but he merely let off an awkward feeling and declined. "Are you sure? I don't mean to brag, but our lemon cake is the best I've tasted."

"Look, if we wanted something else, we would have ordered it in the first place," the blond snapped. I bowed out of respect and apologized before returning behind the counter, knowing I had offended them somehow. As I left I heard the armor sigh, "Nii-san…" in a more sad tone than scornful.

Ten minutes passed before the bells rang again and in stepped a tall, thin woman with short blond hair and a knee-length skirt, blue in color, that matched her light green top quite well in my opinion. She sat down with the brothers, failing to notice the blonde's glare at first. When finally she did, she smirked and tweaked the boy's cheek.

"So how are you, Edward? I see you haven't grown up yet." The blond slapped her hand away with a blush and his glare narrowed.

"I'm plenty grown up!" he snapped at her, "Now cut the crap and tell us about this, _thing_, you've found, or rather, _stolen_."

"Come now Ed, still bitter from the last time we met?"

"Keep talking and I swear I'll hand you over to the police—and make sure you _stay_ there this time," Edward replied.

By now I had figured out just who these people were; at first I thought it might be coincidence, but the Space-Time witch's wise words returned and I dismissed this. The woman, without a doubt, was Psiren and these boys had to be the 'lost souls' she had mentioned to Syaoran-Kun and Kurogane. I hovered close to their table with a broom, making sure my back was turned and so I wasn't too close; I even hummed softly to give the impression I was completely absorbed in my work. However, I intended to capture this woman, just as soon as I laid eyes on the feather she had.

"Very well, if you want to act like a man, then let's talk money. This item was not easy to recover."

"First tell us what it _is_. _We'll_ decide if it's worth anything."

"The last time you came here you asked me about the Philosopher's Stone. This item has a power equivalent to it."

"Y-you're serious!?" the younger brother blurted.

"Nonsense, if such an item existed, there would at least be some rumors of it floating around Central Headquarters," the older argued; he didn't seem to be the trusting type and sort of reminded me of Kurogane.

"No, they wouldn't, Fullmetal," Psiren countered, "Because this _item_ was found by the museum owner just _two days_ before he put it on display. The way rumors sounded during those two days, it seemed as if it just appeared out of thin air."

"That's impossible," Edward said skeptically, "It had to have come from _somewhere_. Things don't just pop up randomly; it goes against—"

"Equivalent exchange, yes," Psiren finished in a somewhat exasperated manner, "I know the law Ed, I'm just relaying what I heard. But I don't think it comes from Amestris."

"How do I know it'll work? You could be in short need for change; it's not like you haven't swindled us before!"

"That was your own damn fault, kid."

"I am not a kid!!" Edward exploded in her face. She merely chuckled and shrugged.

"Like you said, it's up to you. I trust you'll pay me if you find it satisfactory."

I snuck a peek as I heard some shuffling to see Psiren slide a box and a piece of paper to the older brother. He left the box untouched and glanced at the message instead.

"If that's so, I'll be sure to send a reasonable amount to this address."

"I want one million," Psiren said bluntly.

"If it does what it's supposed to, done," Ed replied; the boy did not even flinch at this request.

I whistled mentally at the money this kid must have and decided now to be a good time to intervene, for I had a good idea what was in that box. Pretending to wash the table, my back still to the three, I slipped a piece of chalk out of my pocket and quickly drew an appropriate array. Pressing my hands to it, I felt again the magic flow out of my fingertips, comfortably now that I knew I could control it, and turned to watch as the floorboards simultaneously wrapped around the threesome so that their arms were pinned.

"What the—!!" the older brother cried out in alarm, "Psiren, if this is a setup, I swear I'll—!!"

"As you can see, I am bound as well," the thief replied.

"Then what is the meaning of this!?" Ed directed this question toward me, "I'm a high-ranking State Alchemist for your information!!"

"My apologies," I replied, not wanting to worsen the situation, "But your friend has something that is rightfully ours."

"We're not friends," the blond retorted.

At this point Sakura-Chan came running out of the kitchen with Rumiko-San not far behind.

"Fai-San! What are you—?" Sakura-Chan exclaimed, before being cut off by a very angry Rumiko.

"_What do you think you're doing to my customers_!?"

"Pardon me, Rumiko-San, but these people have Sakura-Chan's memory," I explained; Sakura-Chan's eyes widened when I opened the box on the table and held up the feather.

"Sakura-Chan, why don't you hurry and go find Syaoran-Kun and Kuro-Bya."

Still surprised by the scenario in front of her, she merely nodded and then rushed out the door, causing the bells to ring frantically. I turned back to my temporary prisoners, who also seemed surprised and not knowing exactly how to react.

"Well, Psiren, I guess the deals off," Edward mumbled, his eyes downcast. They shot up the next moment to glare at the woman next to him. "You never said anything about it being someone's memory! No wonder it has so much power…the equivalent exchange for a memory must be _immensely_ _steep_!"

"Quite true," I answered, "You see, a person's memories make up their essence, their heart. Without them, they die."

"Then…it would have worked…" Edward's eyes dropped again and his head lowered with them.

Rumiko-San, who had been watching our conversation, marched over to me now and stood with her hands on her hips.

"I know this is important, Fai-San," she said, harsher than she meant to, I believe, because her voice softened, "but I can't have this event scaring away my customers."

I nodded in agreement and drew a wary eye to the three I'd captured; I wasn't completely sure if I could handle them freed. I had a feeling they weren't hostile, but the fact the brothers were willing to pay so much for Sakura-Chan's feather put me on the edge. Also, the look in the blonde's eyes had me concerned; they seemed to say he'd been let down too many times to just stay quiet.

My indecision was resolved by the younger brother breaking out of his bonds. "We'll cooperate, sir," he said.

"Alphonse!" Edward hissed.

"Right, brother?" he pushed further.

The older brother sighed with a faint, "whatever," so I released him and Psiren so that the floor returned to normal.

"Now then," I said, "Why don't we continue this upstairs without making any more of a scene?"

I motioned them ahead of me and then followed them up the stairs, but not before noticing that Rumiko had switched the 'open' sign to 'closed'.

"What happened to the concern about your customers?" I asked in a slight teasing voice, putting forth a wayward smile.

"Business is pretty slow anyway and you could use some help looking after those three. Especially Edward-San," she replied indifferently, "Besides, it's my café; I have the right to take a day off once in a while."

She huffed in annoyance and brushed passed me, ushering our three guests into her study. That is, not before I caught the essence of a blush on her face. My smile faded at the sight; she was worried about me.

Looking back at what she said, there was something that had me puzzled. Therefore, after closing the door behind me, I pulled her to the side to question her about it.

"What is it about the older brother that has you and I on guard? There is something about him…an attribute I've only seen in adults up until now…" I pondered aloud.

"That's right, you wouldn't know," she replied, "He's a State Alchemist; one of the best."

"He mentioned that before, but I don't know what it means," I said, chuckling in embarrassment and scratching the back of my head.

"State Alchemists work for the government and are given a second name for the title. His is Fullmetal; they say he can transmute without a circle."

"H-how is that possible?" I asked in surprise, "I thought you said _all_ alchemists need circles."

"I don't know, but…he's the youngest alchemist to be in the military. Rumor says he's a genius, so maybe that's why."

"Really…" I replied with interest, "He reminds me of myself when I was younger."

"How so?" Rumiko-San asked.

"I was the youngest wizard to serve the king," I replied, more wistfully than I intended. Realizing this, I quickly put forth a more jovial attitude.

"But I was such a troublemaker back then! I don't see how I avoided being dismissed!"

Instead of reassuring her, my ruse merely made Rumiko-San's face glaze over with worry.

"Fai-San…" she began, a particular sadness in her voice that reflected the look in her eyes, "What happened?"

Thankfully, that was when a knock sounded at the door. Rumiko left her question at a standstill and went to open it, letting in Sakura-Chan, Syaoran-Kun, and Kurogane. I was too much relieved to be able to read the look Rumiko-San sent me; disappointment, I wonder, or anger? I couldn't figure it out.

"Where is she!? Where's that—!?" Kurogane stopped in mid-rant as he caught sight of Psiren and proceeded to point an accusing finger at her. "You!! You're that _bitch_ who—who—!!"

Again he stopped, only this time it was in humiliation. I couldn't help but burst out into laughter at his rare sight; Kurogane was blushing!!

"What happened, Kuro-Byuu, did she seduce you with her womanly wiles?" I teased.

"Will you—she did _not_!!" he protested in anger, yet the blush grew deeper red and gave it away.

"Tsk, tsk, Kuro-Byo," I mock scolded, shaking my head, "Going after the ladies while on the job."

"I WAS NOT GOING AFTER HER!! I was trying to get that _stupid _feather so we could leave here as soon as possible!!" Kurogane exploded in rage, flailing his arms to make his point.

"Of course," I said, disbelief thick in my voice as I grinned like the Cheshire cat.

Sakura-Chan giggled at this display and Syaoran-Kun chuckled nervously, obviously keeping whatever _really_ happened for his own enjoyment.

"Was it too much for you to handle, sweetheart?" Psiren asked, blowing Kurogane a kiss.

The ninja glared at us all and crossed his arms, grumbling curses under his breath.

"So," Edward cut in suddenly, "Are we going to discuss this?"

He was clearly annoyed and didn't try to hide his impatience. Syaoran-Kun and I nodded simultaneously, his face stoic and mine adorned with a warm smile. I began by explaining what had happened before Syaoran-Kun and Kurogane arrived.

"Wooow! Fai-San is amazing!!" chimed Mokona, who had been in stuffed-animal mode in Sakura-Chan's arms as of now.

"Thanks, Mokona, but it was nothing!" I told the little creature.

"How did—did that chimera just speak!?" Edward blurted, standing up and slamming his hands down on the table.

"Mokona is _Mokona_!!" the creature insisted, seeming offended.

"Y-you mean it's _not_ a chimera?" Alphonse asked uncertainly.

"Nope, Mokona is completely original," I supplied, patting the little creature on the head.

The two brothers settled down and conversation returned to the initial topic once again.

"I must know," I began, pulling the feather from my pocket and holding it up, "Why would a couple children be willing to pay a million dollars for this?"

Edward's gaze dropped and his brother fidgeted. I couldn't see the younger's face, but I could tell he wanted to answer me. However, it was Edward who spoke up first.

"I suppose…since we would have taken that feather without knowing its importance…that we owe an explanation. You mentioned the feather's value is equivalent to one's life. We were going to…_fix_ something of that equivalence."

"Now I understand," Rumiko-San said, her voice thoughtful, "there was a rumor I heard, that the Fullmetal Alchemist has fake limbs and the younger brother is merely an empty suit of armor. I thought it was far-fetched when I first heard it, but now…it certainly _explains_ a lot."

"Look here!" Edward shot back, simmering in anger, "My brother is human!!" The elder brother's voice dropped and his head lowered to face the ground. When he looked up again, hurt covered his visage and it surprised me how protective he was of his brother. "Just because…just because the armor is empty doesn't mean he's not human…"

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that—of _course_ he's human," Rumiko-San said, clearly regretting her previous words.

"So you think the princess's feather will fix you two?" Syaoran-Kun asked, serious as usual.

"I'm sure it would have, but…we'll just have to keep looking. We couldn't use it at the expense of your memory," he told Sakura-Chan.

"Well, I'm not exactly an expert, but…didn't others use the power of my memory without draining it?" Sakura-Chan asked quietly, "If we knew for sure, I wouldn't mind letting you borrow it."

Edward's jaw sagged open and next to him, Alphonse sat up ram-rod straight. I turned to face the princess, warmed by her graciousness while Syaoran-Kun seemed concerned by it.

"Sakura-Hime, are you sure?" he asked her uneasily.

"Well, as long as it didn't harm my memory…" the princess replied indecisively.

"I don't _think_ it would," I thought aloud, "That evil dictator used it to trap souls and control a village. If it was harmed, I'm sure you would have noticed it."

"Mokona will ask Yûko!" Mokona declared, eyes widening as he did so.

The time stream opened to show us Yûko, a glass of sake in her hand. Mokona explained our situation and we all waited restlessly for an answer as the Time-Space Witch pondered the scenario.

"I don't see why not," she decided at last, "It's true the feather has limitless power, at least with _our_ measurements. If it could trap multiple souls it should be capable of anything. Though I'm curious, exactly what do you intend to use it for?"

"My brother's body is still behind the Gate, along with my arm and leg. We only want to call them back."

"I see…" Yûko replied, "This means you have dabbled in human transmutation."

Edward nodded, his face grave. Finally understanding, a look of alarm crossed my face; I had heard about this type of alchemy from Rumiko-San. It was the most taboo of all and most always resulted in bodily harm. How Yûko knew what it was, I wasn't sure, but it didn't surprise me with all the wisdom she held; obviously she understood what Edward meant by the 'Gate', even though in my studies I hadn't come across a definition.

"Well, I guess that settles it!" I exclaimed. Yûko nodded and slowly faded into the air as Mokona severed the connection between the two worlds.

The expression on Edward's face warmed considerably. He crossed the room to Sakura-Chan and stood in front of her with his mouth opening and closing but with no sound emitting from it. At last he seemed to gather his words and spoke.

"I…I don't know how to thank you," he confessed, "You have no idea how long…how _much_ this means to us. As for the matter of equivalence, we will be in your debt for life, I'm sure."

"Thank you, but I'm glad just to help you and your brother." Sakura-Chan smiled, laid a hand on Edward's chest and looked up at him as she continued. "Don't waste it, this second chance. Take care of each other." She bowed her head and when she spoke next her words were softer. "Because you never know…when worlds will separate you…"

"Sakura-Chan…"

"Sakura-Hime…"

Both Syaoran-Kun and I were moved by this heartfelt speech. Syaoran-Kun because he knew of whom she was thinking, and me because…it put something very precious into perspective. Of a sudden I felt very anxious to address that something. I swallowed audibly, as if the action would keep down my rising desire.

"Why don't we let you boys get to work?" Rumiko-San suggested with a gracious smile. I saw her eyes flicker to me briefly. "I'm sure you have a lot to do."

This cued everyone down the stairs and into the café. I exited the study behind the others, Rumiko-San trailing me. Before I could catch up to them she grabbed my wrist and pulled me into her room. She closed the door once we were inside and leaned against it, as if worried I would try and run away.

"Fai, what is it?"

She beat me to the exact question I was about to ask her. I chuckled softly; so then, she could tell something was on my mind. I smiled wearily, scolding myself for letting my troubles become so apparent. I had no wish to burden her with them, no matter _how_ suffocating the weight on my chest. When I didn't answer, she changed her question.

"Fai…just what do I mean to you?"

I didn't want to answer her, but I could tell she wasn't going to just let it go. I would have to be careful though—this was bad; very, very bad. _Me_ I could control. _My _feelings I could contain. But if she felt the same way—how was I supposed to protect her then? When it was _me_ who was the object putting her in danger?

"I keep trying to…force myself to keep my distance from others, not to burden them with my presence…"

"Fai…" Her quiet plea affected me more than I thought it ever could. She had no need to continue, to tell me I was anything but a burden; I could see it in her eyes.

"Rumiko-San, you can't…"

"I'm a grown woman so don't tell me what I can and can't do."

"Rumiko-San…" Before I could reiterate, she cut me off again.

"Why must you always honor my name? We're _friends_. Why don't you address me as one?"

I sighed, lowered my head. I could not bear to look. Explaining myself would not make her understand. I was on the edge here, just about ready to fall. When she realized I wasn't going to answer, she frowned, her brows coming together, hurt and worry deep within her eyes.

"I don't understand…why are you so afraid to tell me? What is this invisible line you refuse to cross?"

"We'll be leaving this world soon." Since I had been unable to answer her truthfully, I opted to change the subject, but what came out sounded more like the answer she sought. Despite the disgust I felt at the involuntary lie, I hoped she wouldn't see through it.

"You could stay." I shook my head.

"I would not endanger you like that."

"What do you mean?"

I met her inquiry with silence and her eyes blazed with anger and frustration and resentment all at once. Any further hesitation was only to collect my reply. These words did not come easily, I assure you, but they needed to be said. She had to understand why I couldn't love her.

"If the man who is after me knew…just how much you mean to me, he would kill you in a heartbeat. And I would be almost powerless to protect you."

She sucked in her breath suddenly, realization dawning. This was yet another thing I had been afraid of.

"The man who is after you…he was your king _and_ your mentor, wasn't he?" Reluctant to give her any more information, I sighed deeply. But if this was the only way for her to see…

"He was."

"Then why would he—"

"Because I betrayed him. I imprisoned him in a deep sleep and when he awakes, he will come for me. And you, unless I leave." She frowned.

"I can take care of myself. I _am_ the one who taught you everything you know about alchemy."

"It's not just that."

"Then what?"

Again I hesitated. This was painful for me, allowing myself to become so vulnerable. I was so _afraid_…as if she understood, she gave a weak smile and reached up to touch me, her fingertips like a ghost's breath upon my cheek, reassuring me and making the words flow easier.

"I don't think I could bare it if something happened to you." It was her turn to sigh.

"It's too late to hide it, you know," she said, "If he finds out, so be it. I would rather enjoy the time we have together."

I closed my eyes and held her hand to my face, letting out a long, uneven breath. She had no idea what her soft murmurs and gentle caresses were doing to me—how they were tearing me apart on the inside as I tried desperately to hold myself in one piece.

"It's okay," she whispered, raising herself to her toes, "Lose control. You don't always have to be so stone-like. Be a little human, just this once."

It was hard to ignore her pleas just as it always had been, only this time my resolve broke. I took her advice and allowed my emotions to overtake me just as her lips overtook mine. And they danced, our lips—oh, how they danced. Music was hardly necessary, for the crescendo of emotion was a symphony in and of itself.


End file.
